How to get the Designer Look with Outdoor Containers, troughs, pots and planters

Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in /var/www/clients/client1/web15/web/wp-content/themes/mh-magazine-lite/includes/mh-custom-functions.php on line 144Large natural terracotta pots from Italian Terrace make a stunning corner stone to this rectangular formal pond!

If you want to know how to get the Designer Look with Outdoor Containers, troughs, pots and planters then I have some tips for you.

When it comes to choosing plants for containers it is easy to be misled by the montage of bedding plants and annuals made widely available in every garden centre nationwide. Often selecting a mismatch of annuals that “seem like a good idea at the time” will ensure your outdoor containers look just like everyone else’s and lacks individuality.

Like a flower arrangement needs a stunning vase, similarly, a designer outdoor container display needs a fancy pot! Of course, not everyone has a limitless budget to spend on designer pots and outdoor planters, but by taking a few ideas from my pictorial suggestions you can visit a reclamation yard, a car boot sale or shop online for something similar at much less the cost!

If you’re looking to create a stylish designer planting scheme for your outdoor containers then you might find my following ideas helpful.

Spring colour in six large terracotta citrus pots, overwintered in the Orangery the specimen citrus fruit trees make a perfect centrepiece for Spring flowering bright blue violas and white scented hyacinths.

Choosing a colour theme that complements both the container the surrounding plants and hard landscaping materials.I love these square dumpy planters, they provide the perfect containers for the spiral box topiary and leave just enough room for an interesting planting scheme.

Artemisia “Powis Castle makes a great filler for containers and the fluffy cut leaf, aromatic foliage is a super contrast for summer flowers.

Pieris ‘Forest Flame” offers a dramatic show of colourful young leaves that change colour as the season develops.Coloured stems of the pussy willow is a great way to add a centrepiece to a large container.

Planning your designer containers ahead of time will allow you to structure your pots with specimen shrubs and summer colour. Following the seasons will ensure your designer pots stay in top condition, we re-plant our pots in Spring, Summer, Autumn and again in Winter. Our large specimens are re-used every year and cared for until they are required, we feature Topiary box, Agapanthus, Hydrangeas, Pittosporum, Hosta’s and grasses in our containers.

Award winning, 40 something year old professional plantsman and horticulturalist with National Trust, private parks and estate management background. My vast plant knowledge and hands on techinical experience, afforded me the opportunity to work in various horticultural landscapes, in the UK, USA & Eastern Europe. Having worked in both garden retail & the design service industry gave me the practical diversity and managerial skill set, required for running a large prestigious gardens and stately homes.
I strongly believe knowledge is to be shared and have worked closely with people and staff of all ages and abilities keen to develop their passion for gardening, including groups of children, special needs and adults. I have hosted guided walks, talks and tours for those keen to learn about cultivated and wild plants, garden development, history and design. As an member of the NNCPG and National Trust, I am actively involved in the preservation of several important plant collections both in public and private gardens throughout the UK.
“It’s a beautiful thing when a career and a passion grow together, in a garden it’s paradise”
Follow @IGrowHort on GardenTags. Stephen is passionate about gardening as Head Gardener with a team of ten staff he manages a prestigious Cheshire country estate of 55 acres, inc wild flower meadows, woodland, organic kitchen and formal gardens. Follow Stephen today”